Protective casing for electric meters



J. J. SCHICKLUNA.

PROTECTIVE CASING FOR ELECTRIC METERS. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 25, 1.91.5. RENEWED MAR. 2,1920.

1,337,163. Patented Apr. 13,1920,

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

fry/L I J/llorzay,

J. l. SCH ICKLUNA.

PROTECTIVE CASING FOR ELECTRIC METERS. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 25, 1915. RENEWED MAR. 2, I920.

1,337, 163. Patented Apr. 13, 1920.

- I I I I 6: 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. 4 4 f5 1 iii UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH J'. SCHICKLUNA, BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

PROTECTIVE CASING Specification of Letters Patent.

FOR ELECTRIC METERS.

Patented Apr. 13, 1920.

Application filed January 25, 1915, Serial No. 4,273. Renewed March 2, 1920. Serial No. 362,741.

, To all whom it may concern:

frail-and the walls of which can be easily distorted so as to permit of introducing slender'tools or objeects to short circuit or tap the current on the service side of the meter, and to overcome this I have designed a cast metal casing provided with suitable adapters so that meters of various sizes and shapes can be incased therein, and also cut- "out switches and fuse blocks of different sizes. I have also designed an adapter for connecting the meter casing with a common well known form of cut-out switch casing,

and have further provided a closure plate for closing the lower open end'of the switch casing member when the meter is removed from the meter casing.

The primary object of my invention is the provision of a casing for this purpose which is simple in construction, inexpensive, and which is so designed that the electric service wires leading to the meter cannot be tampered with. 7

Another object of my invention is to provide a casing of this type which is adapted for use in connection with meters, switches and fuse blocks of different sizes and shapes, it being simply necessary to substitute an adapter in the form 'of a cover having an opening to conform to that of the meter and to adjust certain supporting parts, while the remaining parts of the casing may be left intact.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a casing having two parts or sections which are interchangeable, and connected, interlocked and sealed in such a manner that access to the wires on the service side of the meter cannot be had without breaking the seals, which would make it possible to immediately detect the theft of current.

\Vith these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the novel features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described andmore particularly pointed out in the subjoined claims.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my protective casing.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 2-2, Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detached perspective view of the adapter plate to which the fuse block and cut-off switch are secured.

Fig. .4 is a horizontal section taken on line 44, Fig. 5. h

Fig. 5 is a vertical cross section taken sub stantially on line 55, Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on line 6-6, Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is'a perspective view of one end of the detachable adapter bar to which the meter is secured.

Fig. 8 is a detached perspective view of one of the adjustable nuts forming part of said adapter bar.

Fig. 9 is a section similar to Fig. 4 showing a modification of my invention;

Fig. 10 is a central vertical section-of a casing having an intermediate connector or adapter part for connecting the meter casing member with a common form of switch casing.

Fig. 11 is a detached perspective view of the intermediate connector or adapter part.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged cross section taken on line 12- 12, Fig. 5.

Fig. 13 is a central vertical section of the upper portion of the meter casing member and the lower end of the switch casing member, the opening at the lower end of the latter being closed with a closure plate.

Reference being had to the drawings in comprising a body portion 20 and a cover 21. Said body portion has a rear wall 22 provided with a large opening 23 to diminish the weight of the casing, side walls 24 which are preferably curved, as shown, a bottom wall 25, and a top wall 26 provided with an opening 27. The cover 21. has a front or outer wall 28, side walls 29 curved to correspond tothe side walls 24 of the body portion, a bottom wall 30, and a top wall 31, said top wall having an opening 32 which, with the opening 27, form a rectangular opening partly bounded by the top wall 26 of the body portion and partly by the top wall 31 of the cover. The marginal portion of the side walls 29 and bottom wall 30 of the cover are offset, as at 33, to provide an internal shoulder 34 adapted to bear against the edges of the side walls 24 and bottom wall 25 of the body portion.

Passing through the rear wall 22 of the body portion of the meter casing are screws 35 that take into a wall or other support to which the casing is attached. The opening 23 in the rear wall of the casing is in the main circular and at diametrically opposite points has rectangular extensions, as at 36, 37, respectively, the extension 36 being smaller thanthe extension 37. Parallel with the side walls of said rectangular extensions are vertically-disposed slots 38, 39, formed in the rear wall 22, the slots 38 serving as a pair lying on opposite sides of the extension 36, and the slots 39 serving as a pair lying on opposite sides of the extensions 37. Transversely spanning the extension 36 is an adapter bar 40 having a comparatively thick intermediate portion 41 providing shoulders 42 that lie against 0pposite walls of the extension 36. The rear wall 22 of the meter casing is provided with bosses 43 which space said rear wall from its support and provide the necessary clearance for the adapter bar 40 to be moved vertically within the extension 36 of the opening 23. The adapter bar is secured in the desired position by means of screws 44 that are passed through the slots 38 and take into the reduced end portions of said bar, said bar having also a tapped opening 45 midlength, for a purpose to appear hereinafter.

A second adapter bar 46 spans the extension 37 of the opening 23, and like the adapter bar 40 has its intermediate portion comparatively thick to provide shoulders 47 that lie against opposite walls of said extension. The adapter bar 46 is secured in the desired position within the extension 37 by means of screws 48 that are passed through the slots 39 and take into the reduced end portion of said bar. The bar 46 is provided with a longitudinal slot 49, the longitudinal walls of which are provided with inwardly-extending flanges 50, the same being tapered, as at 50, and one of said flanges being cut-away midlength, as at 51. In the slot 49, a pair of adjustable nuts 52 are arranged which have opposite edges grooved, as at 53, to conform to the shape of the flanges 50, and these nuts are introduced into the slot 49 by inserting them through the cut-away portion 51 and moving them laterally for guidance on the flanges 50. In this manner these nuts are held against accidental disengagement from the adapter bar 46. The clearance provided between the rear wall 22 of the meter casing and its support permits said bar to be adjusted vertically to the desired position, and in order to adjust said bar and the adapter bar 40, it is simply necessary to loosen the screws 48 and 44, respectively, position said bars to the desired points and again tighten said screws.

54 represents the meter which is shown in this instance as of circular formation and provided with three legs 55. One of the legs 55 is secured to the adapter bar 40 by means of a screw 56 which is passed through said leg and takes into the opening 45 in said bar, while the other legs of said meter are secured to the adjustable nuts 52 by means of screws 57 that pass through said legs and enter tapped openings 58 in said nuts, said nuts being adjusted within the slot 49 of the adapter bar 46 to the position required by the spacing of the last-mentioned legs and the adapter bar itself being adjusted within the extension 37 of the opening 23 so that the meter may be positioned with reference to an opening 59 in cover 21, said opening being of a size and outline to conform to the meter.

\Vhen placing the cover 21 in position on the body portion 20 of the meter casing, the meter extends out through the opening in said cover and is readablev at all times. The adapter bars 40, 46 permit of securing meters of different kinds and makes to the body portion of the meter casing, even though the legs of the same are variously spaced, and it is only necessary that a cover 21 be provided which has an opening to conform to the shape of the meter, the cover being easily removed and another substituted, since it is retained in position on the body portion of the casing by bolts 60 and nuts 61, the bolts being passed through the rear wall 22 of the body portion and through openings in the cover, the threaded projecting ends of said bolts having the nuts 61 thereon, which are preferably thumb nuts, so that they may be easily applied to the bolts and as readily removed. In order, however, that unauthorized persons shall not remove the cover and gain access to the interior of the casing, each bolt has an opening formed near its outer end through which the wire of a seal 62 is passed, making it necessary to destroy the seal in order to gain access to the interior of the casing. When it is found necessary to repair a meter and remove the same from the casing, or when owing to the removal from the premises of the user it is found desirable to remove the meter, the wires 86 may be disconnected from the meter and forced up into the switch casing and the closure plate 63 introduced into the switch casing and placed in contact with the bottom wall of the latter so as to close the open lower end of said casing. Said closure plate has depending lugs 64 provided with apertures through which the upper bolt'60 is adapted to pass. It is of course understood that in order to remove the meter from themeter casing, the cover 21 must first be removed and may be replaced after the meter is removed frpm the casing. After replacing the cover. of the meter casing it is secured in place in the usual manner and the uppermost bolt 60 will also be passed through the lugs 64 in the closure-plate, as clearly shown in Fig. 13. l

The switch casing is of rectangular formation and has a reduced portion or neck 65 at its lower end which fits into the opening into the top wall of the meter casing, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 5. The front wall of the switch casing is in the form of a door or gate 104 hinged at its upper end to the top wall of said casing, as at 66, and by reason of said switch casing having less depth than the meter casing the lower end of said door or gate has an L-shaped overlapping portion or apron 67 formed by an outstanding web 68 arranged at right angles to the door or gate and a depending web 69 arranged parallel with the main portion of said door or gate and adapted to bear against the front wall of the cover 21 of the meter casing, said depending web 69 being provided midlength with a lug 70 having an opening through which the upper bolt 60 of the meter casing is passed. In this manner access to the interior of the switch casing cannot be had except by destruction of the seal 62 secured to said bolt.

The door or gate 104 is provided with an opening 105 and has an outstanding flange 71 around said opening and a lug 72 extending upwardly from said flange, a lid 73 being pivotally secured to said lug and having an apron 7 4 conforming to the contour of said flange around which it fits, the

lid serving to close the opening in said door or gate.

The switch 19 is provided with a switch button 76 extending into or through the opening 105, or at least is accessible through said opening, said switch being secured to an adapter plate 7 7 which is adjustably secured to the rear wall of theswitch casing,

and for such purpose has parallel slots 78' through which screws 79 are passed that take into said rear wall. The switch, being secured in a fixed manner to said adapter plate, is positioned within the switch casing so that the button 76 thereof extends through the opening, or is at least in line therewith when said switch is not of sufficient size to extend to the inner surface of the door or" gate, this being brought about by loosening the screws 79, adjusting the adapter plate vertically to the required position, and again tightening said screws.

Secured to the adapter plate 77 is the fuse block 18 which may be of any common construction and which it is intended 80 shall not be accessible except by authorized persons privileged to gain access to the interior of the casings by removing the seals. The fuse block has theservice wires 81 attached thereto, which wires enter the switch casing through a conduit 82 extending through an opening 83 formed medially between the side walls of said switch casing, said conduit being threaded and retained in place by a nut 84 applied thereto. The fuse block has electrical connection with the switch 19 by means of suitable wires 85 and said switch has connection with the meter 54 by means of wires 86. The wires 81, 85 and 86 form part of service line conducting unmeasured current, and any current taken from the same before passing through the meter would not be registered by the latter. To avoid theft of current on the service side of the meter, T have designed'this improved casing. The house or load wires conducting the measured current are secured to the meter and led through the meter casing in any approved manner to be directed to the various places for use.

Formed in the rear wall of the switch casing at opposite sides of the opening 83 is a pair of smaller openings 87 in which are inserted washers 88 of peculiar conopenings 87 receive the smaller bosses.

When leading the servicewires 81 through the conduit, the openings 87 are used to fasten the switch casing to its'support, and for this purpose the washers are fitted into the openings 87 and screws 91 passed therethrough which take into the support. When, however, the service wires 81 are not passed through a conduit, porcelain tubes 92,such as shown in Fig. 9 are passed through the openings 87 and the circuit wires inserted through said tubes. At such times the opening 83 is used to fasten the casing to its support, and one of the washers 88 is fitted to said opening with the large boss thereof entered in said opening, a screw being passed through the washer when thus arranged, which takes into the support.

It 1s apparent that the switch casing shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4: is designed for use with the particular construction of meter casing shown, but as there are many switch casings now in use of a somewhat different construction I have provided a connector or adapted 93 which serves as an intermediate member between the switch casing and the meter casing. This connector or adapter comprises a supporting web 9% which lies against the top of the meter casing and provides a suitable support, and an upstanding flange 95 rising from said web to hold the switch casing 96, shown in Fig. 10, in proper position relative to the meter casing. The switch casing in this instance has a lug or flange 97 depending from its bottom wall 98 and the lower end of the door or gate 99 extending beneath said bottom wall so that the adapter or connector holds the same elevated and provides the necessary clearance for the door or gate 99 to swing, at the same time providing proper support for said switch casing. The door or gate 99 may be retained in closed position by a bolt 100, a nut 101, and a seal 105 passed through said bolt, or in any other manner desired. The adapter has an apertured lug 102 depending from the flange 95, and a lug 103 depending from the supporting web 94, both of which enter the meter casing through the opening in the top wall thereof. The upper bolt 60 passes through the apertures of the lugs 102, 103 and secures the connector or adapter to the casing in a manner that it will be impossible to introduce small tools between the same and adjoining parts with a view of tapping the curren Having thus described my invention, what I claim is,-

l. A protective casing comprising a body portion and a cover having an opening through which a meter within said casing is adapted to project, said body portion having elements individually adjustable thereon to which said meter is adapted to be secured.

2. A protective casing comprising a body portion and a cover having an opening through which a meter within the casing is adapted to project, and supporting means for said meter having adjustable parts adjustable in different directions so that said means may be positioned with respect to the opening in said cover to permit of fastening different kinds of meters in place.

3. A protective casing comprising a body portion and a cover having an opening therein through which a meter within said casing is adapted to project, adjustable elements movable individually relative to said opening to which said meter is secured, and

means to secure said cover to said body portion.

4. A protective casing comprising a body portion and a cover adapted to fit said body portion and having an opening through which a meter is adapted to project, and adjustable adapter bars secured to said body portion to which the meter is to be secured, said adapter bars being relatively adjustable and also adjustable with respect to the opening in said cover.

5. A protective casing comprising a body portion and a cover having the marginal portions of its side and bottom walls offset to fit around the side andbottom walls of said body portion, said cover having an opening through which a meter within the casing is adapted to project, and an adapter bar movable with respect to the opening in said cover and havingadjustable devices movable toward and from each other and at an angle to the movement of said bar.

6. A protective casing having a slot provided with an inwardly-extending flange along one of its longitudinal walls, nuts adjustable within said slot and each having a groove adapted to receive said flange, said flange having a cut-away portion between its ends to permit of inserting said nuts into said slot. I

7. A protective casing having a transversely-arranged movable adapter bar provided with a longitudinal slot and a pair of securing elements within said slot movable at a right-angle to the movement of said adapter bar to permit the fastening of meters within the casing having differently spaced fastening parts.

8. A protective casing having an opening in its rear wall and two pairs of slots, adapter bars adjustable within said opening, screws extending through said slots and taking into said bars to retain the same in adjusted position, one of said bars having an opening to permit of securing one point of a meter thereto and the other adapter bar having a slot and movable elements within said slot, said meter being adapted to be secured to said movable elements at other points.

9. A protective casing having an opening in its rear wall provided with two extending portions having parallel side walls, a pair of adapter bars arranged within said openings and having their extremities reduced in thickness to provide a shoulder, the shoulders of said adapter bars bearing against said parallel side walls, means for adjustably securing said adapter bars to said rear wall to permit of vertical movement, one of said adapter bars having a slot and securing nuts adjustable toward and from each other within said slot.

10. A protective casing comprising a body portion having a substantially circular openissues ing in its rear wall provided with opposite extensions and a cover fitting said body portion and having an opening therein through which a meter within said casing is adapted to project, adapter bars vertically adjustable within the extensions of said substantially circular opening, one of said adapter bars having a longitudinal slot and adjustable nuts within said slot, and the other having an opening midway between its ends, the meter being adapted to be fastened in position through the medium of said last-mentioned opening and said adjustable nuts, and means for securing and sealing the cover to said body portion.

11. A protective casing comprising two members, one of said members serving as a meter casing and having a body portion and a cover fitting said body portion, the top wall of said meter casing having an opening therein, the other member serving as a switch casing and having a body portion provided with a neck or reduced portion at its lower end adapted to fit into the opening in the to wall of said meter casing and a door plvotally securedto the upper end of said body portion and having an angular apron at its lower end adapted to overlap the upper end of said switch casing, a bolt passing through the body portion and cover of said meter casing and through the apron-of said door, a nut secured to said bolt, and a seal applied to said bolt to prevent the removal of said nut.

12. A protective casing having an opening in its rear wall for passage therethrough of a conduit and having also a pair of comparatively smaller openings, washers having bosses on one side adapted to enter said pair of. smaller open'ings,and screws adapted to pass'through said washers to secure the easing to a support.

a 13. A protective casing having openings of diflerent sizes, washers provided with bosses of different sizes on opposite sides thereof, the boss on one side of each washer adapted to enter one size opening and the boss on the other side adapted to enter a diiferent size opening,'and screws adapted to pass through said washers to fasten the casing to its support.

14. A protectlve casing having an opening centrally between its side walls and smaller openings on opposite sides thereof, a conduit passing through the center opening, and washers having bosses on opposite sides thereofithe boss of one side of each washer being larger than that of the other, the

large boss of one of the washers being adapted to fit into said central opening when leading the service wires through the smaller side openings and the bosses on the opposite sides of said washers being adapted to enter the smaller side openings when leading the service wires through a conduit in passing through the center or large opening, said washers when used in either openings being adaptedto have screws passed therethrough for securing the casing to a support.

15. A protective casing comprising a body portion and a cover secured to said body portion, said body portion and cover having registering openings in its top wall, an adapter plate closing said openings and having lugs extending into said casing, a bolt passing through the rear wall of said body portion, the front wall of said cover and through said lugs, and a nut applied to the outer end of said bolt.

16. A protective casing having a body portion and a cover fitting said body portion, said .cover and body portion having registering openings intheir top walls, a member applied to the upper end of said body portion having depending lugs entering said registering openings, a bolt passing through said body portion, cover and lugs,

and a nut threaded onto said bolt securing.

the parts together.

17. A" protective casing having a slot whose longitudinal walls are provided with inwardly-extending flanges, one of said flanges being cut-away, and nuts movable lengthwise in said slot and having grooves fitting said flanges, said nuts being adapted for insertion-into said slot through the cutaway portion of one of said flanges.

In testimony whereof ll afix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH J. SCHIGKLUNA.

.Witnesses:

EMIL NEUHART, EDA M. Scnwmonn. 

